At Christmas: Love
by Ilyusha
Summary: G1. Slash: ProwlxJazz. Written for the Livejournal ‘prowlxjazz’ community Christmas challenge – Love – While waiting for the shuttle casualties to recover, Jazz poses an interesting question. Warning for AU and fluffiness
1. Advent Candles

These are the candles as used for the prompts for this series of stories (as suggested by the moderator of the Livejournal 'prowlxjazz' community, PuraJazzBot)

* * *

**HOPE:**

"Memory awakens hope. It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope" – _Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger_

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future" – _Agnes M. Pharo_

"I like the Christmas that fulfills my needs ... to be forgiven from greed and selfishness, to fill my empty soul with peace and compassion, for hope and faith and charity, for myself renewed and hope restored in an erring world" – _Robert D. Wigert_

* * *

**PEACE:**

"May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!" – _Author Unknown_

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas" – _Calvin Coolidge_

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them" – _Isaiah 11: 6_

* * *

**JOY:**

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!" – _Charles Dickens_

"Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not the expensive gifts that call for time and money. We can communicate this joy simply: with a smile, a kind gesture, a little help, forgiveness. And the joy we give will certainly come back to us" – _Pope Benedict XVI_

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" – _Psalms 30:5_

* * *

**LOVE:**

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen" – _Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby_

"Love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love" – _Henry Van Dyke_

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" – _John 15:13_


	2. Love: 1 of 3

Pairings: Prowl/Jazz and all the pairings from the others make an enormous comeback (Red Alert/Inferno, Ratchet/Wheeljack/Ironhide, Blaster/Bluestreak)  
Summary: Twenty years on Earth and Prowl reflects on the customs the Autobots have incorporated into their own calendar  
Warnings: Easy on the fluff and big on the angst… Ooops…  
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I've forgotten…  
Authors Note: Written for the prowlxjazz Christmas challenge, which is based around the four candles of advent. This one is for Love. I would just like to point out that my brain is an evil thing and reading through these prompts and finding a place for them in the series I've written so far… I realised that it would be full of angst and I almost didn't want to write it… but hey, we all love a good bit of angst, right? And having been thoroughly nice to Red Alert in the last story, I'm back to playing on the poor mech's paranoia!  
This could kind of be seen in the same series as the Hope, Peace and Joy sets  
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.

* * *

_"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen" – Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby_

This fic is bought to you by the phrase 'Happy Christmas' and the wish that you get what you desire!

Twenty years they had been on Earth, twenty long years. Prowl stood and watched the preparations for their twentieth Christmas going on around him. Bluestreak was rushing around like a glitch-mouse after energon with the decorations, throwing them haphazardly in the air as he collided with Blaster, who was fiddling with the new (yet another bigger and better) sound system.

"Hey Blue man, watch yourself there." Blaster laughed as he held out his hand for Bluestreak to take.

"Thanks Blaster. I'm sorry I didn't see you there, I was just trying to get all these decorations up before the party tonight because you know I want it to be special and I wanted to make everything special and nice and…" Prowl was actually grateful when Blaster silenced Bluestreak with a kiss. He wasn't sure how much more of the excitable Datsun's explanation his audios could take.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were arguing over the positioning of the baubles on the Christmas tree. After the year Jazz hadn't been present to organise the decorating, Sideswipe had taken it upon himself to do it. Which resulted in an extortionately large amount of red baubles on the Christmas tree that year. Sunstreaker had been less than pleased and had virtually demanded that gold baubles be placed on it in equal amounts. The brawl they got into and the tirade Ratchet launched into after repairing them remained the highlight of that particular Christmas. However, since then, there had been an agreement made and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe always decorated the tree, with equal amounts of red and gold baubles. When Tracks had started to ask why there were no blue baubles, glares from Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Ratchet quickly shut him up. As vain and egotistical as he may be, Tracks still had a good self-preservation instinct.

As the years had gone by, Sparkplug had introduced them to the idea of making their own decorations to be used again and again. Now the tree was decorated with an offering from every Autobot; even Optimus Prime and Prowl had made something to hang on the Christmas tree. Each year, they were carefully unpacked and reverently placed on the tree; the only items to be placed by anyone aside from Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.

The party was now traditional, stemming from the moment Prowl had asked Jazz to raise the morale of those Autobots stranded on Earth. As much as his logic centers despised the chaos that the festivities caused, he couldn't help but enjoy them as he watch his companions having fun; the only time they were able to 'let themselves go' as Jazz put it. Miraculously, every year the Decepticons did not bother them in the week surrounding Christmas. If Prowl was a betting mech. he would have laid odds on it being due to Skywarp's influence. The Seeker had been thoroughly grateful the year they had helped him and Thundercracker after a bad storm had nearly offlined Thundercracker. Ever since, they had received a small token of Skywarp's thanks each year. Of course, the first year, Red Alert had practically destroyed the small package that he had found outside the doors to the Ark. Prowl decided he was glad Inferno had been drafted to calm his lover down as he watched Jazz carefully unwrap the package. Skywarp's present turned out to be the plans to Megatron's new 'super-weapon'. Wheeljack and Perceptor had enjoyed themselves immensely that Christmas concocting a myriad of ways of disabling the weapon. Much to the displeasure of their respective partners; the very vocal displeasure of Ratchet especially.

Prowl smiled as he watched them, remembering all the Christmases that had brought them up to this point. Each one would have a special place in his memory banks. Like the year they had all decided to get one another presents. The multitude of calls Prowl and Prime had had to deal with regarding Autobots in shopping malls. They had sent Red Alert into a near meltdown, prompting Inferno to rush him to med. bay, leaving Prowl and Prime to explain the reasons behind large metal robots storming the shops that Christmas. Thankfully, once Optimus Prime had explained the reasons, they were accepted and advice was offered for the next year.

"What ya thinking about?"

"Christmas." Prowl turned slightly to find Jazz standing at his side, eagerly watching the decorating (for Bluestreak had finally dragged himself away from Blaster) and frivolity that was taking place in the rec. room.

"Turned out well again this year ain't it?"

"Definitely."

"I say we leave them to it and go do some celebrating of our own." Jazz whispered in Prowl's audio.

"You are incorrigible."

"Yup. And you love it."

"Indeed."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

By the time Jazz and Prowl returned to the rec. room, it had been decorated and the party was in full swing. Everyone was laughing and joking amongst themselves.

"I see Sideswipe's latest batch of high-grade is going down well."

"Yup. It's good stuff too. Even Ratchet's being allowed more than one cube this year."

"And all cameras have been confiscated by Red Alert?"

"Most of 'em." Jazz smirked before dragging Prowl across to the table containing all the high-grade. "Come on, get that down ya… we're lagging behind."

"That is most certainly not my fault."

"Well, you weren't complaining." Prowl declined to say anything, knowing the Jazz was telling the truth. He certainly hadn't complained. In fact, begging for it might have been more accurate. Distractedly, he downed the contents of his cube, ignoring Jazz's triumphant expression.

"Presents presents presents!" A shrill voice rang out above the music.

"Daniel Witwicky, you know better than to demand." Carly admonished her son while Bumblebee laughed and nudged Spike."

"He's almost as bad as you."

"The little lad's right thought Carly." Ironhide nodded. "It's time for the presents." Ratchet stifled a groan as Wheeljack clapped his hands together.

"Any idea what they got Ratchet this year?" Jazz leant close to Prowl and asked.

"Yes. And I'm not ruining the surprise."

"Spoilsport."

"Naturally. There's no fun if we know what we're receiving."

"Bet you already know what I've got you."

"I had my chances to find out, but I never took them." Jazz relaxed minutely as Prowl made his admission, before looping his arm round the tactician's shoulders.

"Look at 'em all man. I just love this time of year." Prowl looked at the Autobots, currently in the midst of exchanging presents or unwrapping those they had already received. Wrapping paper littered the floor and cries of glee filled the room. This was the time of year when all Autobots put aside any differences they had and welcomed one another into their sparks. Prowl was not surprised to see Sunstreaker thrust a neatly wrapped present into Track's surprised hands. Or to see Brawn sidle up to Perceptor and hand him a box. Or Cliffjumper and Mirage hugging one another in thanks for the presents they have received.

"You can just feel the love, can't ya?"

"Most definitely. Merry Christmas Jazz." Prowl agreed, wrapping his arms around the saboteur and drawing him closer before kissing him.


	3. Love: 2 of 3

Pairings: Prowl/Jazz, Ratchet/Ironhide/Wheeljack  
Summary: The Autobots start to move back to the moons of Cybertron in order to continue the fight against the Decepticons, meaning that several couples are split up.  
Warnings: You ordered angst with a side order of fluff, right? Oh, and it's AU, completely AU! Character 'deaths'  
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I've forgotten…  
Authors Note: Written for the prowlxjazz Christmas challenge, which is based around the four candles of advent. This one is for Love. And I would just like to state that in my opinion, the movie should never have happened. They killed off the majority of my favorite characters… so this fic completely ignores the events of the movie! Yes, I too am guilty of rewriting the movie… so this would count as very AU. And I think I managed to channel 'sbx' whilst writing this, so I apologise if I've inadvertently 'stolen' any ideas… shamed look  
This could kind of be seen in the same series as the Hope, Peace and Joy sets  
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.

* * *

_"Love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love" – Henry Van Dyke_

"Man, I can't believe it's gonna happen." Prowl looked up as Jazz spoke.

"What?"

"Can't believe we're leaving." Putting down his datapad, Prowl stood and pulled Jazz into a comforting hug.

"With any luck we will soon be able to return."

"You're telling me that's likely?"

"We wouldn't make the move back to Cybertron's moons if the outcome was unlikely."

"I guess. Just never thought I'd leave ya know?"  
"I know."

"And not leave with you either."

"We will be travelling together."

"S'not the same though." Jazz pouted, prompting Prowl to pull him just a little bit closer. Of the two of them, Jazz was taking their imminent separation harder.

"I know. But we will be able to keep in contact. And there will no doubt be times when we can get together."

"Just got too used to having you around all the time."

"And having me all to yourself."  
"Yeah, that too." Jazz smiled despite himself, nuzzling closer against Prowl.  
"We really should continue… ah… packing." Prowl's vocaliser hitched as Jazz ran his hands along the bumper of Prowl's car form.

"Can think of better things to do…" Jazz murmured, twisting in Prowl's grasp.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

They made an unhappy crowd, waiting for the shuttle to land Prowl thought. Strategy had determined who was needed where, meaning that friends and lovers would be separated. Wheeljack stood forlornly in the docking bay, both Ratchet and Ironhide trying their best to convince him they would return soon.

"Nothing will stop me coming back 'Jack."

"Don't say things you can't promise Ratchet."

"Do you think I won't take care of him?"

"I know you will, I just wish I was there with you."

"Wheeljack, on my spark, we will come back to you!" Ironhide wrapped his arms around the inventor, pulling him close and looking for all the world as though he never wanted to let go. Prowl knew exactly how he felt. He took small consolation in the fact that he and Jazz would not be as far apart as Ironhide, Ratchet and Wheeljack. Unfortunately, it did little to ease the turmoil in his spark. Knowing that the only way they would be reunited was the end of this war only made Prowl more determined to come up with the best strategy to overcome the Decepticons.

As the shuttle landed, Prowl watched as Wheeljack reluctantly let go of Ironhide and Ratchet.  
"I'll be back before you know it." Ratchet murmured, giving Wheeljack one last kiss.

"You'd better." Wheeljack warned. "You'd both better!" He took a step backwards and watched as they boarded the shuttle, both pausing in the hatch to look back at their lover. Ironhide gently placed a hand on Ratchet's shoulder and guided him into the shuttle.

"Looks like it's our turn." Jazz muttered. Prowl nodded and they both made their way towards the shuttle.

"Prime's running late." Prowl turned before they reached the shuttle hatch and scanned the assembled crowds.

"Probably giving Ultra Magnus some last minute instructions."

"Highly unlikely. All eventualities have already been considered and noted down in the instructions we left him. I do wonder where he…" Prowl stopped mid sentence as he saw Optimus Prime make his way towards the shuttle, the crowds parting easily before him.

"Just going over a few things with Ultra Magnus." He explained as he strode onto the shuttle past them. Prowl didn't say anything.

Prowl took his seat next to Jazz, searching for his partner's hand and squeezing.

"We will be back Jazz."

"I know… just when?"

"I don't know Jazz…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Two months later and Jazz was sick of the bleak expanse of Cybertron's moon. The moon base had been constructed quickly and provided no entertainment. His daily routine consisted of watching the monitors for Decepticon activity and recording it and waiting for Prowl's communication.

"Jazz, report security status." Jazz keyed in the communication frequency and Prime's face appeared onscreen. Quickly he checked the monitors before acknowledging the Autobot leader.

"No Decepticons in this sector Prime."  
"What about Moon Base 2?" Jazz opened up the communication frequency to the base on the second moon on Cybertron, smiling when Bumblebee and Spike appeared on the screen.

"Jazz to Moon Base 2, Jazz to Moon Base 2."

"Bumblebee and Spike here."

"Any Decepticon shenanigans in your area?"

"No sign here."

"All clear Prime." Jazz reported back to Optimus Prime.

"Thank you Jazz." Prime turned away from the screen and began talking to Ironhide. "We're sending a shuttle back to Earth, I want you, Prowl and Ratchet to take it down." Prime turned back to the monitors. "We'll be sending it up as soon as the pre-launch checks are run. Keep an optic on it until it's out of range."

"On it." Both Jazz and Bumblebee answered simultaneously.

Jazz watched as the shuttle powered up, launching itself into the darkness of space, thrusters glowing hot. At his side, Cliffjumper muttered.

"That ain't right."

"What?"  
"Got a blip on Decepticon activity just now."

"Huh. Rescan, see whether we get anything else." Jazz turned his attention back to the shuttle, watching it carry his partner back to Earth.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Prime. You need to get down here. There's been an incident."

"Magnus?"

"It's the shuttle Prime. The Decepticon's boarded it before it landed."

"And?" Optimus Prime resisted the urge to tell Ultra Magnus to just get on with it already, whilst simultaneously opening a communication frequency to Jazz.

"It's just the strangest thing. We found the wreckage and what we thought were the bodies of the occupants." Prime winced as Ultra Magnus dispassionately recounted what had happened. Occupants indeed, they were his troops, more than his troops, his friends.

"We'll have to hold a memorial service."

"Hey wait what?" Jazz's voice broke into the communication.

"I'm sorry Jazz, but it seems that the Decepticons…"

"That's just it Prime. They didn't!"

"What?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&

As soon as the shuttle landed, Jazz was out the open door, racing along to the medical bay where he knew Prowl was. Perceptor was waiting for him outside.  
"Now Jazz, just remember that he is still very low on energon. I cannot permit you to stay for too long."

"Understood Perceptor, just lemme in!" Perceptor stood aside and Jazz stepped through the doors, giving a low whistle at the sight he saw before him. Wheeljack was standing between the berths containing Ironhide and Ratchet. He crossed immediately to where Prowl lay, staring down into the blue optics of his lover.

"Hey there." He said softly. Prowl managed to smile up at him. "What the slag happened?" Jazz continued in the same tone of voice.

"I miscalculated."

"Heh, you're telling me Prowl." Ironhide piped up, barely managing to avoid the swat Wheeljack aimed at him.

"Emergency stasis." Ratchet explained. "We all hit it when Prowl flooded the shuttle with gas."  
"Got rid of the Decepticons though." Prowl countered.

"Yeah, but I couldn't land the darn shuttle offline could I?" Above the good-natured bickering, Wheeljack and Jazz shared a look, both eternally grateful their lovers were still functioning.

"We'll never get rid of them." Wheeljack joked.

"Nope. Love's stronger than most anything."

"Deactivation included evidently."

"Yup." Jazz rested a hand on Prowl's undamaged shoulder and vented a sigh of relief.


	4. Love: 3 of 3

Pairings: Prowl/Jazz, Ratchet/Ironhide/Wheeljack  
Summary: While waiting for the shuttle casualties to recover, Jazz poses an interesting question  
Warnings: This part is fluffier than the fluffy pink quill I got for Christmas… And it's still counts as AU  
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I've forgotten…  
Authors Note: Written for the prowlxjazz Christmas challenge, which is based around the four candles of advent. This one is for Love. This could kind of be seen in the same series as the Hope, Peace and Joy sets  
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.

* * *

_"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" – John 15:13_

"D'ya ever wonder what we'd be doing now if we weren't fighting?"

"What's brought that on Jazz?" Prowl asked. They were still in the med. bay; First Aid and Perceptor refusing to allow them to leave until all the gas had been expelled from their systems and their energy levels had returned to normal. Wheeljack and Jazz had virtually refused to leave their lovers' sides and had camped out in the med. bay too.

"Dunno. Just thinking what things would have been like if we hadn't all joined up…"

"I know exactly where I'd be." Ratchet muttered, ignoring Wheeljack's laugh.

"Oh yeah?"

"He'd still be up to his optics in work." Wheeljack supplied. "That's the downside of being the best on the whole of Cybertron Ratchet."

"Heh. What about you Ironhide?" Ironhide powered up his optics and sat up slowly.

"Would have never had a choice not to join up. Was always next to Prime."

"His little lapdog." Ratchet muttered affectionately.

"Yeah, where Prime goes, Ironhide is sure to follow." Wheeljack chimed in. Jazz laughed and even Prowl managed a smile.

"I'd still be working in my lab." Wheeljack said after a pause.

"And still blowing things up no doubt." Ratchet countered with a smile.

"I had three inventions blow up, that's all!" Wheeljack whined.

"What about you Jazz?" Ironhide asked, recognising the beginning of a thoroughly annoyed Wheeljack tantrum. "What did you do before the war that you could still be doing now?"

"Music my man, music." Jazz replied wistfully. "Though I doubt I could have done anything but join up." Prowl gently squeezed Jazz's hand, giving him the silent support he needed.

"Why?"

"Not much point being a musician in a dead town." He answered flatly.

"Oh come on… surely there must have been other places you could play?"

"Wouldn't have been the same though. Lost the band in the destruction."

"Ah… didn't know that Jazz, sorry."

"It's all right Ironhide, ain't something I normally talk about."

"So what brought this all on?" Prowl asked again.

"Just thinking I guess. About how close it were. And what I could have lost."

"We've lost friends before though."

"Yeah, but I ain't ever lost someone I loved before." Jazz said, staring down at Prowl who opened his mouth wordlessly.

"I'll agree with you there Jazz." Wheeljack agreed.

"I changed everything I was before the war after the city fell around me. Now that were a life-changing experience. I think Bluestreak's the only one who knows what it can be like to see your entire city, your home, destroyed in front of your optics. Anyways… I decided then that I'd avenge their deaths and so I joined up."

"Noble of you." Prowl commented.

"Doubt that… just didn't have much else to live for so I figured why not change it all and do something worthwhile?"

"Can't believe you changed everything for your friends Jazz." Ratchet said thoughtfully shifting slightly in his berth.

"Would do it again if I had to Ratch. Those guys meant almost everything to me, only fair I take out a few Decepticons on their behalf.

"I'll admit, I never realised your reasons for joining the Autobots was revenge Jazz." Prowl said.  
"Yeah well, like I said, it ain't something I tend to talk about."

"Give the kid a break Prowl." Ironhide muttered. "The number of Autobots that joined up for revenge was huge."

"I know. I just find it hard to process that someone who is so good at what they do joined up seeking vengeance."

"Heh, I'll take that as a compliment Prowl."

"Please do."

"Actually, I think we all gave up our lives Ratchet." Jazz said, shifting to make himself more comfortable on a medical berth that was only meant for one mech., not two.

"Huh?"

"Well… think about it. I've seen you in battle. You'd have never willingly shot anyone if we were back on Cybertron and there weren't no war. And you 'Jack, you wouldn't be struggling to invent all these weapons that have the potential to explode. And Ironhide would have his nice cushy office job."

"What about Prowl?"

"I would have been lonely." The tactician answered Ratchet's question curling closer to Jazz and offlining his optics, putting an effective end to the conversation.

"Ain't that the truth." Wheeljack muttered, gaze torn between Ironhide and Ratchet.


End file.
